Courage and cowardice.

Definitions of concepts:

Courage is a positive moral-volitional personality trait, manifested as determination, fearlessness, courage when performing actions associated with risk and danger.

Cowardice is one of the expressions of cowardice; a negative, moral quality that characterizes the behavior of a person who is unable to perform actions that meet moral requirements (or, conversely, refrain from immoral actions) due to the inability to overcome fear of natural or social forces. Cowardice can be a manifestation of calculating selfishness, when it is based on fears of incurring unfavorable consequences, someone's anger, fear of losing existing benefits or social position. It can also be subconscious, a manifestation of spontaneous fear of unknown phenomena, unknown and uncontrollable social and natural laws. In both cases, cowardice is not only an individual property of the psyche of a person, but a social phenomenon.

Synonyms for "Courage":

Courage, determination, courage, heroism, bravery, desire (to tell the truth), audacity, audacity, fearlessness, determination, desperation, valor.

Synonyms for "Cowardice":

timidity, timidity, cowardice, suspiciousness, indecisiveness, hesitation, fear; apprehension, fear, shyness, cowardice, timidity, fearfulness, capitulation, cowardice.

Sample list of topics for the final essay

• What does it mean to be brave?
• Why does a person need courage?
• What does cowardice lead to?
• What actions does cowardice push a person to do?
• Can we say that courage is the engine of progress?
• In what life situations is courage best demonstrated?
• Do you need courage in love?
• Do you need to have courage to admit your mistakes?
• Courage is the beginning of victory
• Do you agree with the statement of O. De Balzac: “Fear can make a daredevil timid, but it gives courage to the indecisive”?
• How do you understand the common expression “fear has big eyes”?
• How do you understand the words of Confucius: “Cowardice is knowing what you should do and not doing it”?
• How do you understand the saying: “A timid dog barks more than it bites”?
• Is the saying “courage is half the battle” true?
• What actions can be called courageous?
• What is the difference between arrogance and courage?
• Who can be called a coward?
• Is it possible to cultivate courage in yourself?
• How do you understand M. Twain’s statement: “Courage is resistance to fear, not its absence”
• Do you agree with the statement of L. Berne: “A coward is more dangerous than any other person, he should be feared most of all”?
• What are the causes of fear?
• Can a person with high moral principles be a coward?
• Is cowardice a death sentence?
• Do you agree with B. Russell’s statement: “To be afraid of love is to be afraid of life, and to be afraid of life is to be two-thirds dead”?
• Is it possible to love someone you are afraid of?
• Can a brave person be afraid of anything?
• Is it possible to say that a person fears only what he does not know?
• Do you agree with the statement of D. Diderot: “We consider the one who allowed his friend to be insulted in his presence to be a coward. D. Diderot"
• How do you understand F. Cooper’s expression: “Fear makes the smart stupid and the strong weak”?
• What is the difference between true courage and false courage?
• Is courage always expressed in actions?
• How do you understand the expression: “The master’s work is afraid”?
• Is it a shame to be afraid?
• How do extreme conditions affect courage?
• How do you understand W. Shakespeare’s statement: “Cowards die many times before death, brave ones
  They only die once"?
• Is it possible to say that courage and cowardice are two sides of the same coin?
• Why is it important to be brave in life?
• Do you agree with the statement of Zh.Zh. Rousseau: “Do not confuse courage with impudence and rudeness: no
  nothing more dissimilar both in its source and result”?
• Do you agree with the statement of G.S. Crispus: “In battle, those most exposed to danger are those who are most possessed by fear; courage is like a wall”?
• What does it mean to be brave in everyday life?
• What's the difference between being bold and taking risks?
• What is the difference between fear and cowardice?
• Do you agree with Voltaire’s statement: “The success of science is a matter of time and courage of mind”?
• How is willpower related to courage?
• Do you need to have the courage to say no?
• Why is it important to have the courage to stand up for your ideals?
• Why is it important to have courage when making decisions?
• Does it take courage to embrace something new?
• How do you understand Helvetius’s statement: “To be completely devoid of courage, one must be
  completely devoid of desires"?
• Can cowardice hinder personal development?
• Do you agree with W. Churchill’s statement: “It is not for nothing that courage is considered the highest virtue - after all, courage is the key to other positive qualities”?
• How does courage influence the formation of personality?
• Confirm or refute Thucydides' statement: “Ignorance makes people bold, but reflection makes them hesitant.”
• How does cowardice influence the formation of personality?
• What is the difference between a coward and a daredevil?
• Do you agree with P. Holbach: “You can never live happily when you are always trembling with fear”?
• Why are people afraid to express their opinions?
• How is courage demonstrated in war?
• Do you agree with the statement of G.Yu. Caesar: “It is easier to find people who voluntarily go to death than those who patiently endure pain”?
• What qualities does a person show in war?
• Do you agree with G. Ibsen’s statement: “Cowardice in its prime turns into cruelty”?
• Why does creativity require courage?
• Why do people show cowardice in war?
• How do you understand F. Bacon’s statement: “Heroism is an artificial concept, because courage is relative”?
• Do you agree with S. Lagerlöf’s statement: “More soldiers always die when fleeing than in battle”?
• How is suspiciousness related to cowardice?
• Do you need courage in love?
• Can a coward be happy?
• Do you agree with the words of Plutarch: “Courage is the beginning of victory”?

An essay in the context of this aspect can be based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of personality - from determination and courage, manifestations of willpower and fortitude of some heroes to the desire to evade responsibility, hide from danger, show weakness, which can even lead to betrayal.

Examples of the manifestation of these human qualities can be found in almost any work of classical literature.

Let's look at the main examples in the works:

• Captain's daughter
• Eugene Onegin
• Quiet Don
• Master and Margarita
• White Guard
• Old Isergil
• Scarecrow
• And many, many other works

“Courage and cowardice” - arguments for the final essay

An essay in the context of this aspect can be based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of personality - from determination and courage, manifestations of willpower and fortitude of some heroes to the desire to evade responsibility, hide from danger, show weakness, which can even lead to betrayal. Examples of the manifestation of these human qualities can be found in almost any work of classical literature. A.S. Pushkin “The Captain's Daughter” As an example, we can take the comparison of Grinev and Shvabrin: the first is ready to die in the battle for the fortress, directly expresses his position to Pugachev, risking his life, under pain of death remained faithful to the oath, the second was afraid for his life and went over to the side of the enemy. The daughter of Captain Mironov turns out to be truly courageous. The “coward” Masha, who flinched from shots during a training exercise in the fortress, shows remarkable courage and firmness, resisting Shvabrin’s claims, being in his complete power in the fortress occupied by the Pugachevites. The title character of the novel A.S. Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin” essentially turned out to be a coward - he completely subordinated his life to the opinion of society, which he himself despised. Realizing that he is to blame for the impending duel and can prevent it, he does not do this, because he is afraid of the opinion of the world and gossip about himself. To avoid accusations of cowardice, he kills his friend. A striking example of true courage is the main character of the novel M.A. Sholokhov “Quiet Don” Grigory Melekhov. The First World War caught Gregory and spun him into a whirlwind of turbulent historical events. Grigory, like a true Cossack, devotes himself entirely to battle. He is decisive and brave. He easily captures three Germans, deftly recaptures a battery from the enemy, and saves the officer. Evidence of his courage is St. George's crosses and medals, officer rank. Gregory shows courage not only in battle. He is not afraid to radically change his life, to go against his father’s will for the sake of the woman he loves. Grigory does not tolerate injustice and always speaks openly about it. He is ready to radically change his destiny, but not to change himself. Grigory Melekhov showed extraordinary courage in his search for the truth. But for him she is not just an idea, some idealized symbol of a better human existence.

He is looking for its embodiment in life. Coming into contact with many small particles of truth and ready to accept each one, he often discovers their inconsistency when faced with life, but the hero does not stop in search of truth and justice and goes to the end, making his choice at the end of the novel. The young monk, the hero of the poem by M.Yu., is not afraid to completely change his life. Lermontov "Mtsyri". The dream of a free life completely captured Mtsyri, a fighter by nature, forced by force of circumstances to live in a gloomy monastery that he hated. He, who has not lived a day in freedom, independently decides to take a brave action - escaping from the monastery in the hope of returning to his homeland. Only in freedom, in those days that Mtsyri spent outside the monastery, all the richness of his nature was revealed: love of freedom, thirst for life and struggle, perseverance in achieving his goal, unbending willpower, courage, contempt for danger, love for nature, understanding of its beauty and power. Mtsyri shows courage and the will to win in the fight against the leopard. In his story about how he descended from the rocks to the stream, one can hear contempt for danger: But free youth is strong, And death seemed not terrible. Mtsyri failed to achieve his goal - to find his homeland, his people. “The prison left its mark on me,” this is how he explains the reason for his failure. Mtsyri fell victim to circumstances that turned out to be stronger than him (a stable motif of fate in Lermontov’s works). But he dies adamant, his spirit is not broken. Great courage is required to preserve oneself, one’s personality under the conditions of a totalitarian regime, not to give up one’s ideals and ideas, including in creativity, and not to submit to the situation. The question of courage and cowardice is one of the central ones in M.A.’s novel. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita". The words of the hero of the novel, Ga-Notsri, affirm the idea that one of the main human vices is cowardice. This idea can be seen throughout the novel. The all-seeing Woland, lifting the “curtain” of time for us, shows that the course of history does not change human nature: Judas, Aloisia (traitors, informers) exist at all times. But the basis of betrayal is also, most likely, cowardice - a vice that has always existed, a vice that underlies many grave sins.

Aren't traitors cowards? Aren't flatterers cowards? And if a person is lying, he is also afraid of something. Back in the 18th century, the French philosopher C. Helvetius argued that “after courage, there is nothing more beautiful than a confession of cowardice.” In his novel, Bulgakov argues that man is responsible for improving the world in which he lives. The position of non-participation is not acceptable. Can the Master be called a hero? Most likely no. The master failed to remain a fighter to the end. The Master is not a hero, he is only a servant of truth. The Master cannot be a hero, since he chickened out and abandoned his book. He is broken by the adversity that befell him, but he broke himself. Then, when he escaped from reality to Stravinsky’s clinic, when he assured himself that “there is no need to make big plans,” he doomed himself to inaction of the spirit. He is not a creator, he is only a Master, and therefore he is granted only “peace”. Yeshua is a wandering young philosopher who came to Yershalaim to preach his teaching. He is a physically weak person, but at the same time he is a spiritually strong person, he is a man of thought. The hero under no circumstances gives up his views. Yeshua believes that a person can be changed for the better with good. It is very difficult to be kind, so it is easy to replace goodness with all sorts of surrogates, which often happens. But if a person does not chicken out and does not give up his views, then such good is omnipotent. The “tramp”, the “weak man” managed to turn the life of Pontius Pilate, the “almighty ruler” upside down. Pontius Pilate is the representative of the authority of imperial Rome in Judea. This man's rich life experience helps him understand Ga-Nozri. Pontius Pilate does not want to ruin the life of Yeshua, he tries to persuade him to compromise, and when this fails, he wants to persuade the high priest Kaifa to have mercy on Ha-Notsri on the occasion of the Easter holiday. Pontius Pilate feels pity for Yeshua, compassion, and fear. It is fear that ultimately determines his choice. This fear is born of dependence on the state, the need to follow its interests. For M. Bulgakov, Pontius Pilate is not just a coward, an apostate, but he is also a victim. By apostatizing from Yeshua, he destroys both himself and his soul. Even after physical death, he is doomed to mental suffering, from which only Yeshua can save him. Margarita, in the name of her love and faith in her lover’s talent, overcomes fear and her own weakness, and even overcomes circumstances.

Yes, Margarita is not an ideal person: having become a witch, she destroys the house of writers, participates in Satan's ball with the greatest sinners of all times and peoples. But she didn't chicken out. Margarita fights for her love to the end. It is not for nothing that Bulgakov calls for love and mercy to be the basis of human relations. In the novel “The Master and Margarita”, according to A.Z. Vulis, there is a philosophy of retribution: what you deserve, you get. The biggest vice - cowardice - will certainly entail retribution: torment of the soul and conscience. Even in The White Guard, M. Bulgakov warned: “Never run like a rat into the unknown from danger.” Taking responsibility for the destinies of other people, perhaps weaker ones, is also great courage. This is Danko, the hero of the legend from M. Gorky’s story “The Old Woman Izergil”. A proud, “best of all” man, Danko died for the sake of people. The legend told by the old woman Izergil is based on an ancient tale about a man who saved people and showed them the way out of an impenetrable forest. Danko had a strong-willed character: the hero did not want a slave life for his tribe and at the same time understood that people would not be able to live in the depths of the forest for a long time without the space and light they were accustomed to. Mental fortitude, inner wealth, true perfection in biblical stories were embodied in outwardly beautiful people. This is exactly how the ancient idea of ​​a person about spiritual and physical beauty was expressed: “Danko is one of those people, a handsome young man. Beautiful people are always brave.” Danko believes in his own strength, so he doesn’t want to waste it “on thoughts and melancholy.” The hero strives to lead people from the darkness of the forest to freedom, where there is a lot of warmth and light. Having a strong-willed character, he takes on the role of a leader, and people “unitedly all followed him - they believed in him.” The hero was not afraid of difficulties during the difficult journey, but he did not take into account the weakness of the people, who soon “began to grumble” because they did not have Danko’s fortitude and did not have a strong will. The culminating episode of the story was the scene of Danko’s trial, when people, tired of the hardship of the journey, hungry and angry, began to blame their leader for everything: “You are an insignificant and harmful person for us! You led us and tired us, and for this you will die! Unable to bear the difficulties, people began to shift responsibility from themselves to Danko, wanting to find someone to blame for their misfortunes. The hero, selflessly loving people, realizing that without him everyone would die, “teared his chest with his hands and tore out his heart from it and raised it high above his head.” Illuminating the dark path from the impenetrable forest with your

with his heart, Danko led people out of the darkness to where “the sun shone, the steppe sighed, the grass glittered in the diamonds of the rain and the river sparkled with gold.” Danko looked at the picture that opened before him and died. The author calls his hero a proud daredevil who died for the sake of people. The final episode makes the reader think about the moral side of the hero’s act: was Danko’s death in vain, are people worthy of such a sacrifice. What is important is the image of a “cautious” person who appeared in the epilogue of the story, who was afraid of something and stepped “on his proud heart.” The writer characterizes Danko as the best of people. Indeed, the main character traits of the hero are mental fortitude, willpower, selflessness, the desire to selflessly serve people, and courage. He sacrificed his life not only for the sake of those whom he led out of the forest, but also for himself: he could not do otherwise, the hero needed to help people. The feeling of love filled Danko’s heart and was an integral part of his nature, which is why M. Gorky calls the hero “the best of all.” Researchers note the connection between Danko’s image and Moses, Prometheus and Jesus Christ. The name Danko is associated with the same root words “tribute”, “dam”, “giving”. The most important words of a proud, brave man in the legend: “What will I do for people?!” Many works of classical Russian literature raise the issue of fear of life in its various manifestations. In particular, many works by A.P. are devoted to the theme of fear and cowardice. Chekhov: “Fears”, “Cossack”, “Champagne”, “Beauties”, “Lights”, “Steppe”, “Man in a Case”, “Death of an Official”, “Ionych”, “Lady with a Dog”, “Chameleon” , “Ward No. 6”, “Fear”, “Black Monk”, etc. The hero of the story “Fear” Dmitry Petrovich Silin is afraid of everything. According to the author of the story, he is “sick with the fear of life.” The hero, according to Chekhov, is frightened by the incomprehensible and incomprehensible. For example, Silin is afraid of terrible events, disasters and the most ordinary events. He is afraid of life itself. Everything that is incomprehensible in the world around him is a threat to him. He reflects and tries to find answers to questions that concern him about the meaning of life and human existence. He is convinced that people understand what they see and hear, but he poisons himself daily with his own fear. The hero of the story is constantly trying to hide and retire. He seems to be running away from life: he leaves his service in St. Petersburg because he experiences feelings of fear and apprehension, and decides to live alone in his estate. And here he is

suffers a second blow when his wife and friend betray him. When he finds out about the betrayal, fear drives him out of the house: “His hands were shaking, he was in a hurry and looked back at the house, he was probably scared.” It is not surprising that the hero of the story compares himself to a newborn midge, whose life consists of nothing but horrors. In the story “Ward No. 6” the theme of fear also comes to the fore. The hero of the story, Andrei Efimovich, is afraid of everything and everyone. Most of all, he is wary of reality. Nature itself looks scary to him. The most ordinary things and objects seem frightening: “This is reality!” thought Andrei Efimovich. The moon, and the prison, and the nails on the fence, and the distant flame in the bone plant were scary.” The fear of the incomprehensibility of life is presented in the story "The Man in the Case." This fear forces the hero to move away from reality. The hero of the story, Belikov, is always trying to “hide from life” in a case. His case is made of circulars and instructions, the implementation of which he constantly monitors. His fear is vague. He is afraid of everything and at the same time nothing specific. The most hated thing for him is failure to follow the rules and deviations from the regulations. Even insignificant little things plunge Belikov into mystical horror. “Reality irritated him, frightened him, kept him in constant anxiety, and, perhaps, in order to justify this timidity of his, his aversion to the present, he always praised the past and what never happened; and the ancient languages ​​that he taught , were for him, in essence, the same galoshes and an umbrella where he hid from real life." If Silin, out of fear of life, tries to hide in his estate, then Belikov’s fear of life forces him to hide in a case of rules and strict laws and, in the end, hide underground forever. The hero of the story "About Love" Alekhine is also afraid of everything and also prefers to hide, secluded in his estate, although he had a good opportunity to study literature. He is afraid even of his love and torments himself when he overcomes this feeling and loses his beloved woman. The fairy tale by M.E. is dedicated to the problem of fear of life. Saltykov-Shchedrin “The Wise Minnow”. The life of a minnow flashes before the reader, simple in its structure, based on fear of the potential dangers of the world order. The hero's father and mother lived a long life and died a natural death. And before leaving for another world, they bequeathed their son to be careful, since all the inhabitants of the water world, and even man, in any

At first glance, this direction seems to be the simplest and most unambiguous. But is it?

In the comments on FIPI we read: “This direction is based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of the human “I”: readiness for decisive actions and the desire to hide from danger, to avoid resolving difficult, sometimes extreme life situations.” That is, experts expect reasoning from the graduate, not kindergarten teasing. It would not be good to write your essay in the style of “It’s bad to be a coward, but it’s good to be brave.” Of course, it is necessary to place emphasis, but note that in the commentary, courage and cowardice are considered not as character traits, but as “manifestations” of personality. That is, it is not characters who should be analyzed, but actions.

In the introduction, you need to characterize the concept (or concepts, if both are present in the formulation) or argue that everything in a person is not so simple. During the war, many people showed miracles of courage and heroism. But where is the guarantee that some of them were not afraid of, for example, spiders? According to the dictionary definition, a person who is afraid of spiders is a coward. And in war he showed courage. How can we understand this?

You can imagine, for example, an introduction like this: “In different situations, we all show either courage, or cowardice, or decisiveness, or cowardice. Anyone who was not afraid to go against tanks with a grenade suddenly found himself unable to stand up for a friend in peacetime. He who was brave and decisive in a moment of danger, in the face of imminent death, turned into a shaking scoundrel. Each of us will remember situations when the same person was ready to defend a friend in a fight, but not from an unfair accusation. Or vice versa".

An excellent argument in this case would be the story “Sotnikov” by V. Bykov. Comparing the behavior of the partisans - Rybak and Sotnikov - we see that Rybak behaves superbly. He is brave, smart, decisive, helps the klutz Sotnikov, and demonstrates true selflessness. But only while he is in extreme and dangerous, but still not fatal, circumstances. And realizing that he will inevitably be killed, Rybak suddenly shows extreme cowardice. He succumbs to the fear of death and betrays his comrades. Sotnikov behaves differently. He, on the contrary, shows real heroism and dies without betraying anyone.

An example can also be Shvabrin ( “The Captain's Daughter” A.S. Pushkin)

One can also argue that sometimes cowardly behavior is a person’s conscious position. He just doesn’t want to interfere in anything, as a matter of principle. In this aspect we can consider the plays E. Schwartz “Shadow” and “Dragon”. They are short and easy to read, so you can take them apart yourself.

Finally, provide examples of obvious and undeniable courage and dedication. For example, “Not on the lists” by B. Vasilyev, “The Fate of a Man” by M. Sholokhov, “The Last Battle of Major Pugachev” by V. Shalamov, poems by front-line poets.

How to enter an argument correctly? It should support the point, not just be mentioned. Let's give an example.

Wrong: “Different authors write about courage. For example, there are many brave heroes in V. Shalamov’s story “The Last Battle of Major Pugachev.” Let’s say this is the main character who bravely escapes from the camp.”

Right: “A person who previously behaved bravely may not find the strength to die with dignity, to accept suffering, but not to retreat, not to betray. In V. Shalamov’s story “The Last Battle of Major Pugachev” we encounter an episode in which the author talks about the propaganda of the Vlasovites among prisoners of war. Many already knew that even after escaping from a fascist death camp, they would be shot or sent to camps on Stalin’s orders. And there were those who went over to the side of the fascists, betraying their homeland and friends. Fear of unfair punishment, fear of shame - this is what those who bravely fought before could not stand. But there were also those who remained faithful to the Motherland and the oath. They found the courage to accept what fate had in store for them, but not to turn their weapons against the Fatherland.”.

In conclusion, we should summarize what has been said. It is best to write about the fact that courage is often born where there is love and the desire to protect the Motherland, loved ones, beliefs, and honor. In some circumstances, unable to betray ideals, even a timid and weak person becomes brave and courageous. Courage is not a stupid refusal to recognize danger. This is the ability to forget about fear for the sake of something especially important, something that cannot be betrayed.

Let us give examples of topics in this area.

Courage is the beginning of victory.

Fear kills the mind.

Why is cowardice dangerous?

What is real courage?

What action do you consider brave?

Does a person need fear?

Is courage always a virtue?

Is admitting your mistake courage or weakness?

Can a coward be a good friend?

Do you think a brave person can experience fear?

Is caution different from cowardice?

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FIPI commentary on “Courage and Cowardice”:
“This direction is based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of the human “I”: readiness for decisive actions and the desire to hide from danger, to avoid resolving difficult, sometimes extreme life situations. On the pages of many literary works, both heroes capable of bold actions and characters who demonstrate weakness of spirit and lack of will."

Recommendations for students:
The table presents works that reflect any concept related to the direction “Courage and Cowardice.” You DO NOT need to read all of the works listed. You may have already read a lot. Your task is to revise your reading knowledge and, if you discover a lack of arguments within a particular direction, fill in the existing gaps. In this case, you will need this information. Think of it as a guide in the vast world of literary works. Please note: the table shows only a portion of the works that contain the problems we need. This does not mean at all that you cannot make completely different arguments in your work. For convenience, each work is accompanied by small explanations (third column of the table), which will help you navigate exactly how, through which characters, you will need to rely on literary material (the second mandatory criterion when evaluating a final essay)

An approximate list of literary works and carriers of problems in the direction of “Courage and Cowardice”

The topic “Courage and Cowardice” is proposed among other topics for the final essay on literature for graduates of 2020. Many great people have discussed these two phenomena. “Courage is the beginning of victory,” Plutarch once said. “The city takes courage,” A.V. Suvorov agreed with him many centuries later. And some even made provocative statements on this topic: “True courage rarely comes without stupidity” (F. Bacon). Be sure to include such quotes in your work - it will have a positive effect on your grade, as will mentioning examples from history, literature or real life.

What to write about in an essay on this topic? You can consider courage and cowardice as abstract concepts in their broadest sense, think about them as two sides of the coin of one person, about the truth and falsity of these feelings. Write about how courage can be a manifestation of excessive self-confidence, that there is a direct connection between selfishness and cowardice, but rational fear and cowardice are not the same thing.

A popular topic for thought is cowardice and courage in extreme conditions, for example, in war, when the most important and previously hidden human fears are exposed, when a person shows character traits previously unknown to others and to himself. Or vice versa: even the most positive people in an emergency situation can show cowardice. Here it would be useful to talk about heroism, feat, desertion and betrayal.

As part of this essay, you can write about courage and cowardice in love, as well as in your mind. Here it would be appropriate to recall willpower, the ability to say “no,” the ability or inability to defend one’s opinion. You can talk about a person’s behavior when making decisions or learning something new, leaving their comfort zone, and the courage to admit their mistakes.

Other directions of the final essay.

Why is one person brave - he is not afraid of any difficulties, he always achieves his goals, is ready to do anything for the sake of his family and friends, while the other, on the contrary, is cowardly, afraid to take even basic steps in life in order to achieve at least some success? What makes one person brave and another cowardly? This question has haunted the minds of writers, poets, and philosophers for centuries.

Courage always implies the ability to pull yourself together in a moment of fear. A brave person is not afraid to look problems straight in the eye and never gives up on his endeavors. A brave person is always patient, he has enormous willpower and a goal that he achieves, going through even the most difficult obstacles. Nothing will stop him in achieving his goal! The main thing is that brave people have only good goals, otherwise they can bring misfortune not only to their family and friends, but also to many other people or even an entire generation. For example, some unfortunate rulers started a war, sacrificing thousands of innocent lives.

A cowardly person is afraid of problems. He tries to get away from them by any means possible. A cowardly person may have a goal, but if he fails, he will easily give it up. Because of cowardice, a person can commit almost any crime, against the law or against morality - no matter what they are, it is always scary!

In literature one can find many examples of courage and cowardice. The problem of courage and cowardice is well demonstrated in the work of A.S. Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter". During the capture of the fortress, Pyotr Grinev was ready to sacrifice his own life, but Shvabrin showed cowardice by going over to the enemy’s side.

Courage is a very valuable quality, but only if it belongs to a prudent person with good goals and intentions.

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